what'd you do yesterday?

Oh, nothing much...between 6:30 and 9, all the usual get up and get everyone up and get the kids to school...then the fun really started.
9 am - get to garden shop to buy extra marigolds to keep the bunnies from eating the tomato plants I just planted over the weekend.
9:15 - get call from school nurse saying that A. is coughing up a storm, and there have been 2 more cases of pertussis (yes that's whooping cough) in his class, not to mention the 6 or 7 in his grade. Pay for marigolds, ditch looking for a new shrub for an empty patch of dirt in the backyard.
9:30 - get to school to find A. feeling a little better, leave him in class. Call the pediatrician to leave message, asking if he should just come in to get tested anyway due to direct exposures.
9:35 - get to Trader Joe's to load up on goodies since the cupboards are bare.
10 - get second call from nurse saying that A. is hacking away and needs to get picked up. Pay for groceries. Get to school and pick him up, go home to unload the frozen stuff, and drive to pediatrician's office. All the while, calling the office to say we're on our way but only get the answering machine, about 6 times.
10:30  - get to pediatrician's office and secure appointment for 11:15. Really?  Can't someone just see him now since we're here and the walk-in hours just ended? Walk to a nearby Starbucks and resist the temptation of a cinnamon scone. Watch A. eat his apple fritter.
11:10 - get call from pediatrician's office saying that they're all out of the swabs for the test, but I can go to the hospital if I want and they'll do it there.  When I ask for more details, the receptionist comes back to say that actually they'll have some in later, I can have a 12:45. Go to Costco with A. for berries and fish. Eat half of a delicious palmier.
12 - get home, unload groceries
12:15 - make A.'s lunch
12:20 - scarf down mine
12:30 - leave for pediatrician's office
12:45 - strep test (after which he throws up) negative, pertussis test (which is an icky nasal swab) back in 24-48 hours, should go on antibiotics just in case.
1:20 - drive to pharmacy to pick up medicine.
2:10 - get back home, spend 20 minutes on phone with manufacturer of antibiotic trying to get carb count.
2:45 - get to school to pick up A.'s homework, get little I. from chess, he's crying for having the fewest points in class.  When I ask him how he knows this, he says that the teacher read everyone's points out loud. Make mental note to ask teacher why on earth he would do that to a class of 6 year-olds? Pick up C.
3:00 - 4:00 - try to put the rest of the groceries away. Get kids their snack.  Give A. the antibiotic. Pray he doesn't throw it up. Slice cucumbers. Make mistake of throwing one away that I sliced and pushed to the side of the cutting board with the ends. Sweep up box of crackers that spilled onto the floor when I didn't notice that the bag was torn down it's front. Wonder why I didn't have any caffeine today.
4:00 - take C. to Hebrew school.  Water plants outside. Cook pot of beans.
5:00 - take little I. to karate.
6:00 - bring I. home, check on A., go pick up C.
6:20 - whip up a pot of the kids' favorite egg drop soup.
The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful, normal homework, reading, playing, etc etc. We grownups had a nice, relaxing dinner together after all was said and done.

11:45 am (today) - pertussis test came back negative. Hooray!

Egg drop soup

Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil.  Add 2 T chicken bouillon powder, a few glugs each of soy sauce and sesame oil.  Bring all that to a rolling boil.  Add 1 block of extra firm tofu that's cut into small cubes.  Bring that to a boil and let go for about 5 minutes.  Add 4 beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring them into ribbons.  Turn off the heat.  Serve with crispy chow mein noodles and coconut rice, if you like, and have time to make, which I didn't.  The kids loved it anyway.